Influence of axial coordination on the photophysical property of excited state of zinc porphyrin

Abstract The effect of axial ligand 4-N,N-dimethyl aminopyridine (DMAP) on the fluorescence property of the second singlet excited state (S2) and first singlet excited state (S1) of 5,10,15, 20-tetra(p-methoxyl)phenyl zinc porphyrin has been investigated using steady-state absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Hot fluores-cence is clearly observed and is then reasonably assigned to the higher vibronic level from S1 state. A further analysis of fluorescence kinetics results shows that the coordination of DMAP to the zinc ion results in a decrease of hot fluorescence lifetime and an increase of the relative con-tent of hot fluorescence. Similar phenomenon was observed with respects to S1 fluorescence upon the addition of DMAP in toluene. For a complete understanding of such an effect, a possible mechanism has been put forward and discussed in detail.